The present invention relates to a heated water apparatus which maintains a water flow throughout a brew cycle. The present invention also includes a venting conductive probe for use in the heated water apparatus.
A variety of brewing devices have been devised in order to quickly and efficiently brew a brewed beverage by infusing a beverage brewing substance with heated water. These brewing devices often include a heated water reservoir which maintains water at a desired brewing temperature and which includes a heater coupled to the reservoir for heating water retained therein. A variety of devices employ a displacement heated water apparatus or a gravity induced flow heated water apparatus. In the displacement heated water apparatus, water is introduced into the reservoir which displaces heated water retained therein. Displaced heated water flows through a heated water line and is delivered to a funnel which retains a beverage brewing substance therein. Water can be displaced by manually placing water into a basin communicating with the reservoir or by providing an automatic water source which controllably admits a desired a quantity of water to the reservoir. In the displacement system, an equal quantity of water is displaced from the reservoir.
A gravity system employs a head of water above the heated water line which provides hydraulic pressure to move water through the heated water line. Typically, in such a device, a controllable valve is attached to the heated water line. When a brew cycle is initiated, the valve is opened to allow the head to force a desired quantity of water out through the heated water line for infusing a beverage brewing substance retained in a funnel. Additionally, a faucet may be provided on the reservoir for dispensing a quantity of heated water from the reservoir for other uses such as preparing instant foods, small quantities of hot beverages, as well as many other uses.
An important consideration in brewing a beverage is to assure that the beverage will be brewed to provide desired characteristics such as flavor, color, aroma, temperature and consistency quickly, efficiently and with a high degree of repeatability. In order to achieve these goals, it is desirable to provide an automated system so as to minimize the degree of human intervention in the process and thereby increase the predictability and reliability of the system. In this regard, the gravity type system provides a controllable inlet valve on the water source and a controllable outlet valve on the heated water line. The inlet valve and outlet valve are generally simultaneously controlled such that water flowing through the inlet line flows simultaneous with the outflow of water through the heated water line.
A problem arises however when a heated water apparatus or brewing device has an insufficient flow rate or inconsistent flow rate. Many food preparation facilities may not have sufficient water supply in order to maintain consistent pressure or flow rate through an inlet line. If the in flow rate is insufficient or inconsistent, a proper level of water will not be maintained in the reservoir and the head of the reservoir may be dissipated to a degree that water will not be dispensed through the heated water line. If this happens, the brew cycle may be interrupted or prematurely terminated resulting in inconsistency in the brewed beverage.
For example, if the water supply is not sufficient to recharge the reservoir during a brew cycle and the head drops below the heated water line, the brewing cycle may be interrupted and an insufficient quantity of water will be used during the brewing process. This will result in a substantial variation in the extraction, consistency and resulting flavor of the brewed beverage. Further, if the flow rate through the inlet line is inconsistent and the inlet valve operates on a timed cycle, an insufficient quantity of water will flow into the reservoir resulting in decreased head for a brewing cycle in progress. Although the initial brewing cycle may produce the desired beverage results, the cumulative effect of insufficient recharging of the reservoir will result in a drop in the water level. If the water level in the reservoir is not maintained at a desired level, there will be insufficient head for infusing a beverage brewing substance. Therefore, there is a need to provide an apparatus which provides consistent high quality brewed beverage which prevents depleting the quantity of water retained in the heated water reservoir.